Dundee and Angus College has invested in nearly £1 million worth of new equipment to prepare students for employment in the energy industry.
The engineering, construction, science and horticulture buildings at the college’s Kingsway Campus have been upgraded and had specialist equipment installed thanks to an £818,000 grant from the European Regional Development Fund.
Although the college had originally intended to prepare students for jobs in the offshore energy industry, the lack of growth in Scotland’s offshore wind sector has forced it to widen the scope to encompass different aspects of the energy industry.
The cash grant also allowed D&A College to buy cutting-edge equipment to help deliver the training demanded by the energy industry, including 48 state-of-the-art welding bays, a mechanical pipe-fitting rig to help train engineering, electrical and renewables students, portable COMPEX electrical engineering for high-voltage testing and maintenance in industry-standard conditions and two industrial diesel engines.
“Due to significant delays in investment decisions in offshore wind manufacturing in Scotland, the college project had to widen its focus from specifically supporting investment in offshore wind renewables to addressing the skills required to support operations and maintenance across the energy industry,” said Veronica Lynch, director of external relations at D&A College.
“We could then invest in equipment based on customer feedback from within the energy sector.”
The new equipment was purchased after consultation and the college will provide training that is as close to real-life situations as possible.
It will provide students with a mechanical training rig that mimics industrial situations, including working at heights and confined spaces, and which allows students to remove mechanical equipment for mock refurbishment, installation and commissioning.
As well as providing state-of-the-art test equipment and assessment bays, the electrical engineering gear has been installed with movable carts to allow the rigs to be used in different workshops.
D&A College has also purchased V6 and a V8 diesel engines and installed an exhaust ventilations system capable of dealing with up to six engines.
“This investment will provide our engineering apprentices, students and industry partners the opportunity to undertake their training using industry-standard equipment that will significantly enhance their learning experience,” said Jim Stewart, head of engineering at D&A College.
“This will offer benefits not just to the energy sector but for other industries where underpinning engineering and electrical skills are required.”